Our Story

From the beginning, community engagement and feedback have driven the conceptualization and design of the Bridge Park. The first two years were filled with hundreds of neighborhood meetings on both sides of the river leading to the identification of programming concepts for the park. These concepts were seamlessly woven into the park’s design by architects OMA + OLIN who have been working with the community to develop a world-class public space for recreation, arts, and environmental education.

The National Park Service and the 11th Street Bridge Park present the third annual Anacostia River Festival, a premier event of the 2017 National Cherry Blossom Festival, on Sunday, April 9, 2017 at Anacostia Park and the surrounding neighborhood in Washington, DC.
Aerial view of a bridge over a river, embodying the essence of "Building Bridges Across The River - Our Story." It's surrounded by roads and lush greenery under a cloudy sky, with sunlight breaking through—a testament to community-driven design.

The 11th Street Bridge Park, a collaboration between the District government and Building Bridges Across the River, will transform the old 11th Street Bridge into D.C.’s first elevated park. Spanning the city’s skyline, the park will feature community-driven programming such as outdoor performance spaces, playgrounds, urban agriculture, and an Environmental Education Center with classrooms to teach students about river systems. It will also include public art reflecting the region’s rich history, as well as kayak and canoe launches. Located between the Washington Navy Yard and Anacostia Park, the Bridge Park will serve as a destination, a pedestrian and bicycle route, and an iconic architectural symbol across the Anacostia River.

SEE THE FUTURE PARK

A multi-lane bridge stretches over a body of water, its top structure accented by a red highlighted area, embodying our "Building Bridges Across The River - Our Story" theme. The calm water beneath and cloudy skies above reflect our commitment to community-driven design.

This is a visual of how the new civic space will reuse the old piers to build a new foundation.

East bank of the Anacostia River

The old road bridge piers, which will form the foundation of the park.

A diagram of a bridge with a green area, showcasing Building Bridges Across The River and our Community-Driven Design.
An artist's rendering of a hammock in Building Bridges Across The River - Our Story Park, showcasing community-driven design.
An artist's rendering of a bridge over a park with people walking on it, showcasing our community-driven design in building bridges across the river.
A couple sits on a blanket in front of a bridge, symbolizing the building bridges across the river aspect of their story. The scene captures the essence of community-driven design as they enjoy the
Building Bridges Across The River - An artist's rendering of a bridge over a body of water.
An artist's rendering of a bridge over a river, showcasing our Community-Driven Design.
An artist's rendering of a garden with people walking around it, showcasing the community-driven design by Building Bridges Across The River - Our Story.
An artist's rendering of a school bus in front of a bridge embracing Community-Driven Design.
A community-driven design of a school building with children in front of it, building bridges across the river.
A rendering of the interior of a building with tables and chairs, showcasing our community-driven design.
Building Bridges Across The River - Our Story comes to life through an artist's rendering of a green space buzzing with activity as people engage in community-driven design by walking around.
A group of people, driven by community-driven design principles, are sitting on a grassy area near a river.
Building Bridges Across The River - Our Story is a community-driven design project where a man and woman jog together on a bridge over a river.
An artist's rendering of a sidewalk with people on it, depicting a community-driven design.
An artist's rendering of a bridge over a body of water, showcasing Community-Driven Design.
An aerial view of a park with people walking around, showcasing a community-driven design approach inspired by Building Bridges Across The River - Our Story.
An aerial view of a park with people walking around, showcasing our Community-Driven Design in collaboration with Building Bridges Across The River - Our Story.
An artist's rendering of a community-driven design for a pedestrian bridge over a river.
A group of people, driven by community-driven design, walking on a bridge in a city.
An artist's rendering of a walkway with people walking on it, showcasing our Community-Driven Design.
A community-driven group of people are sitting on the grass in front of a river, building bridges across the river as part of "Our Story" initiative.
A rendering of a community-driven building with people in it, showcasing the Building Bridges Across The River - Our Story.
A red bridge, part of the Building Bridges Across The River - Our Story initiative, is showcased against a pristine white background.
The park will be adjacent to the current 11th Street Bridge vehicular bridge.

The park will be adjacent to the current 11th Street Bridge vehicular bridge. 

Design

A bridge spans a calm river at sunset, with trees on the left and city lights visible in the distance.

Design Principles

The design principles and list of facilities for the 11th Street Bridge Park were gathered through community meetings with nearby residents, church leaders, business owners and city government representatives. Working collaboratively with hundreds of residents and stakeholders, the DNA for the future 11th Street Bridge Park was created and reviewed by our Design Oversight Committee representing stakeholders from across Washington DC.

Learn More
People gathered around a table engaged in a group activity, with papers and markers spread out. Various expressions suggest collaboration and discussion in a community setting focused on Community-Driven Design.

Community-Chosen Design Team

The 11th Street Bridge Park design competition, launched in March 2014 to transform a bridge spanning the Anacostia River into an elevated park, ended with the unanimous selection of the “Anacostia Crossing” design. The team’s design also earned top marks from the Design Oversight Committee and received the most votes in the public poll.

Meet The Team
People gardening in an urban rooftop greenhouse overlooking a river, framed by city buildings. This community-driven design tells our story of building bridges across the river, uniting nature and city life seamlessly.

11th Street Bridge Park Design Process

Hear directly from residents about their vision for the space. This video captures the December 7, 2013 community design charrette for the 11th Street Bridge Park, one of several key events where local residents shared their input to shape the park’s design.

Learn More
The pathway, flanked by people enjoying the landscaped garden and brick wall, tells a story of community-driven design. In the background, a bridge spans the river under a cloudy sky—a testament to building bridges across the river and uniting people with nature.

More Than A Park

Community engagement has been central to the 11th Street Bridge Park’s design from the start. Over two years, hundreds of neighborhood meetings on both sides of the Anacostia River helped shape the park’s programming concepts. With a focus on equity, the park aims to anchor inclusive growth and enhance connectivity, while ensuring that nearby residents and small businesses continue to benefit from the park’s success.

Learn More